Lemme say this now - the FIFA World Player of the Year Award is an absolute joke. How they drew up the list is beyond me.
If we just take the British nominees on their own, the list is a farce.
David Beckham is on there, despite having an average first season for Real and a horrendous Euro 2004. Ryan Giggs is on there - good player still, but not outstanding. Outperformed by Cristiano Ronaldo last season. Lampard had a good year, but is he world class yet? No way. Nowhere near the best player in the Premier last season (Henry). Owen, well he had an okay season for Liverpool, a fairly anonymous Euro 2004 (not entirely his fault) and has had an awful start to his Real Madrid career. And finally, Wayne Rooney. How the hell can he be on the list? He had a fantastic Euro 2004, granted. But he hardly shone at Everton last season and he's only played two games for United so far. How can that count? Even putting considerable bias aside, Gerrard is the best British candidate on that list and even he shouldn't be on it. And neither should Milan Baros, who had a better last season than Rooney and, arguably, a better Euro 2004.
Madness. European Player of the Year counts. World Player of the Year is a farce.
I'd be pretty annoyed if I was a Gooner. 'The Emirates Stadium'? I'm sorry, but from Highbury, a fairly iconic name, to this... you've got to laugh. It's a shame that they have to do this - and I refuse to believe they chose to do this. They have been awesome this year and last, have one of the best managers in the game, and still have to whore themselves for cash because they want a new stadium.
Then there's the possibility of Malcolm Glazier taking over Man Ure. The supporters don't want him, as he's raise ticket prices. So why don't the board tell him to piss off, like LFC chairman David Moores did to Steve Morgan this summer? Because The Scum are a PLC, and so their primary motivation is money, or, more specifically, the price of their shares.
Then we have Rafa Benitez, a class manager at a top club, suffering the legacy of a cautious manager and unable to do anything about it unless we have a decent cash injection at Liverpool. Yes, he worked wonders at Valencia on a limited budget, pipping Real and Barca to the La Liga title. But Real and Barca sack managers more often than Arsenal and Man Ure do, and at Arsenal and the Scum, the managers decide who to try and sign, not the Presidents.
So, how do I feel as a Liverpool fan? Well, it's similar to when Robbie Fowler left - there's a mixture of emotions. True, Michael Owen was never held in the same affection as The Toxteth Terrier, but there's definitely a mixture of sadness and anger. Sadness that he has left the club, anger that he said he wanted to stay whilst all the time not signing a new contract and having his agents negotiate with Real Madrid.
I always knew he'd go abroad - I didn't think it'd be until he was 27 or thereabouts. I thought he'd sign a new deal and that's probably be his last at the club, unless we started spanking it at home and in Europe.
But we have to move on and Liverpool have got a pretty good strike-force in Cisse and Baros, providing Milan can take his international form and use it in the Premier. Hopefully we'll be bringing in a few more faces in the next week or so - against Spurs it was obvious that when Gerrard isn't on top form we find it difficult to supply the front two. Also Finno is no right winger. Nunez and Alonso should arrive on Thursday, with hopefully more to follow.
So the verdict is in: The FA have no case against Sven. How about the fact that he ain't good enough a manager?
Hopefully Sir Trev can fire a rocket up Mr Eriksson's arse - he did admit that our sitting back tactic in Euro 2004 was ill-judged. Maybe Sven will feel he's been let off, and will suddenly become as good as they said he was before he took up the post.
By the end of thursday we should all know whether Sven Goran Eriksson is still England manager. If he goes, and I hope he does, let it be for footballing reasons. Yes, he's been an idiot on more than one occasion now but that's his private life and (although British culture seems to say otherwise) has nothing to do with anyone apart from those individuals concerned.
I wanted an English coach when Sven got the job but he won me over and the team certainly picked up. However, Euro 2004 did not impress me at all and as a result I wouldn't complain at all if he was replaced.
Like most others, when I'm watching England play I think (briefly) I could do a better job as manager. Obviously I couldn't, but Sven has made mistakes and failed to address issues that I think are obvious problems. Like the left-hand side. How many people have been tried there? Ok, maybe we don't have a decent left-footed wide player but at the very least pick someone and give them a run there so they get used to it. And not a central midfielder. Why not Joe Cole, or Dyer? Then there was Beckham in Euro 2004, not up to it. No-one should be un-droppable. Why did John Terry come back into the side after Ledley King was outstanding against France? Why oh why can Sven not see that Scholes has been consistently shite for England for ages now? And that we were sitting back far too deep all the time? And that Vassell and Owen up front together would not help matters when all we were doing was pumping up high balls? Basic, basic stuff.
He should go. Bring in Curbo with a decent set of coaches.
Anyone else not bothered at all by Kluivert signing for Newcastle? There's no doubt he's got talent but he's also got attitude and to be honest, if he was so amazing, how did he end up at Newcastle? Surely the cream of Europe would be after him?
Newcastle have got a crap defence, an average midfield and signing Kluivert does not change that in the slightest.
Liverpool were linked with Mourinho after Houllier was given the push and all I can do is thank my lucky stars we didn't get him. The guy is in the news all the time, going on about this and that. Contrast that with Rafa and I know who I'd choose.
I did rate Mourinho but he's now just one more reason to hate Chelsea.
FRANCE Under 21 international midfielder Matthieu Flamini was branded a traitor after he joined English champions Ars*nal after failing to agree on a contract with Olympique Marseille.
The 20 year-old, whose 14 league matches for Marseille culminated in a starting place in last season's UEFA Cup final against Valencia, has reportedly signed a four-year deal with Ars*nal.
"He's a traitor," said Marseille coach Jose Anigo. "He cheated me. He didn't sign for us only because of the money. His argument that he wanted a first-team slot doesn't hold up, unless of course he plans to keep Vieira out of the Ars*nal team."
There will be no transfer fee as Matthieu had yet to sign a professional contract with Marseille but Ars*nal will have to pay Marseille compensation for his apprenticeship.
The move helps Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger strengthen his midfield in case Patrick Vieira is lured to Real Madrid. (Which lets face it is looking likely!)
"I do see improvement in teams like Tottenham but essentially ourselves, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will be the ones challenging."
Truth or mind games? When we were top of the league for a few games under Hoddle a couple of years ago, Fergie called us champions league contenders. Soon after we were back in mid table. Personally, I'm feeling very optimistic about spurs at the mo, although I'm not necessarily expecting top 6, I know the club is going in the right direction.
